title: Inflammation and impaired endothelium-dependant vasodilatation in non obese women with gestational diabetes mellitus: preliminary results.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To evaluate whether abnormal endothelial function, a common finding in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) pregnancies, can be explained by inflammatory cytokines.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forearm skin blood flow (FSBF), into response to acetylcholine (Ach) (endothelium-dependent vasodilatation), were measured in 24 pregnant control subjects and 28 gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) women, in the third trimester of gestation. A fasting glycemic and lipidic panel was obtained, and inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6) and adiponectin were also determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  FSBF is significantly reduced in GDM group compared with control subjects (344.59 ± 57.791 vs.176.38 ± 108.52, P < 0.05). Among all subjects, FSBF showed a strong negative correlation with TNF-α and IL-6 (r = -0.426, P < 0.0001 and r = -0.564, P < 0.0001, respectively) and positive correlation with adiponectin (r = 0.468, P < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Endothelial function, an early marker of macrovascular disease, is present in non-obese pregnancies complicated by GDM. This alteration seems to be directly related to inflammatory status, which may represent a patho-physiological link between GDM and type 2 diabetes and, later on, metabolic syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Functional Exploration, Farhat Hached University Hospital, Sousse, Tunisia. ines.mrizak@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Ines
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mrizak
authors.forename: Amel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arfa
authors.forename: Mariem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fekih
authors.forename: Haythem
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Debbabi
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bouslema
authors.forename: Imen
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Boumaiza
authors.forename: Monia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zaouali
authors.forename: Naim A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Zouhair
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tabka
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology*; D045462:Endothelium-Dependent Relaxing Factors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005542:Forearm / Q000098:blood supply; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D009765:Obesity / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood; D014664:Vasodilation
chemical_list: D052242:Adiponectin; D045462:Endothelium-Dependent Relaxing Factors; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000109:Acetylcholine